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News on Indian Paper (r)
SUU KYI NOT TO ACCEPT CURBS ON MOVEMENTS
The Hindu ( Dec. 16, 1996 )
Yangon, Dec 15: The pro-democracy Opposition leader, Ms. Aung San Suu
Kyi, has indicated that she will not accept restrictions on her movements
as she spent the ninth consecutive day today inside her Yangon residence,
following the most defiant civilian protests here since 1988.
With security still tight around the city following the demonstrations,
her National League for Democracy (National League for Democracy) fired
back against official claims the the Nobel peace prize laureate had
failed to cooperate with authorities in measures designed to ensure her
own safety.
"A serious request should not take on the nature of a restrictive order
nor should it entail the placement of physical barriers," said a
statement signed by the National League for Democracy central executive
committee, received by AFP today.
Ms. Suu Kyi's residence on Yangon's university avenue has been blocked
since the demonstrations for students' rights began on the city's streets
two weeks ago. The National League for Democracy leader has not left her
house since last Friday.
In response to a government statement circulated to embassies in Yangon
earlier in the week, the Opposition leader, who was confined by the
ruling junta to her own home for six years until her release last July,
denied she had said her current confinement constituted house arrest.
"At no time did she claim that she had been put under "house
restriction." However, she pointed out that restrictions placed on her
movement amount to unlawful restraint," said the statement, dated
December 12.
The statement further rebutted accusations from the ruling State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) that the National League for Democracy
was connected to the student unrest. High-ranking junta officials have
compared the recent demonstrations to the civilian pro-democracy
demonstrations of 1988 which were crushed by the military.
In the past two weeks, students have demonstrated in the city's streets
for the release of student prisoners and the right to set up a union.
While they have no mention of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, protesters have
carried a portrait of her late father, the Myanmarese independence hero,
Aung San, and chanted pro-democracy slogans.
Yangon was quiet today although there was still a high security presence
and restrictions on access to the Yangon Institute of Technology in the
north of the city and at the Institute of Medicine downtown. Armed troops
have been patrolling the city at night time and five tanks that were
driven into the city on Friday were still parked in front of city hall,
with combat-ready soldiers. AFP
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